FrankenPC

So, back before I first started travelling, I used to have fun playing a lot of video games, pick one and I played it.  I didn't have a ton of money, so I would save for the parts for one and then I would put them together once I had almost everything.  I figured that I needed to have one of those PCs that made everyone envious when they saw it (forgetting the fact I'm so shy that I wasn't exactly going to take it in public) and I looked for what I thought would make the coolest case and PC ever.  I got a black case with a acrylic siding that let you look directly into the motherboard and then added glowing red wiring, a fan that had red and blue rotating lights; the most freaky lightning system I could find at the time.  It was a thing of beauty (if you are a fan of Frankenstein) and I was pleased.

I few months later, I got my first travelling sleep contract to go to Waterloo, IA and I knew that I would go into a serious case of shock if I didn't have some kind of entertainment.  I had one of those 22" monitors, the big size ones that would throw out your back if you picked it up, so I knew that wasn't going, but there was no way in hell that I was going to leave my glorious PC behind.  I knew I could just buy a monitor once I got there. I had almost no luggage options at the time; 1 small suitcase and a duffel bag.  I shoved my PC into the suitcase and all the cords into the duffel bag with what little clothing I did have.  I didn't want anything to happen to the clear side of my PC case, so I made sure that I put that side up in case the baggage handlers were a little over zealous that day like usual, because nothing should happen to my art.

It was in this way that I strolled down to the airport for my flight to Iowa.  Black bag in one hand, suitcase in the other.  I dropped them off at the baggage counter and made my way to Iowa.  5 T-Shirts, undies, socks, and a PC.  I really didn't think too much about it - I had a plan for entertainment and it was a good one.

What I didn't think about was security x-raying my bag and just about shitting themselves at FrankenPC.  I wish I could have seen their faces when they opened my suitcase and saw a glowing red motherboard with wires everywhere like a gigantic freaky bomb.  The only thing missing was a timer looking back on it.  When I landed in Iowa, there were 2 security there to ask me if it was my bag.  They didn't stop me or question me, they just looked at me as if I was a complete freak of nature.  I had a 10 minute drive to the hotel I was going to be staying in and when I started to unpack everything, I found 17 inspection flyers saying how someone had gone through my suitcase.  I don't know why they kept having to put new ones in there, but I think I managed to get the entire Rochester, NY security's autographs as well as a few from Chicago.

I was looking at the tags in the suitcase when I re-evaluated how my suitcase looked once opened.  There was no monitor, just a box of glowing wires going to no where, no mouse, no keyboard, just this box for them to see. I found I had an extra cord they must have used to plug it in and test it and I will always wonder if they had one of those bomb shields put over it when they fired it up.  I also wonder if they still talk about the moron who had to bring the full size tower and cause one of their security officers to wet himself in fear for a moment.

I have since upgraded to a laptop.  A move I believe that causes much less stress for all involved while I travel.  I think I may get a bio-hazard sticker for it though.